Reserve fuel supply



1950 D. c. HALEY RESERVE FUEL SUPPLY Filed June 14, 1948 Douglas C. Haley IN VEN TOR.

1 BY Attorney:

Patented Nov. 28, 1950 nlzssnvnfiziisurrme Application lune 14, 1948, Se nallNo. 32,870

man. ei-$ 5. 9

invention elates ta ew and s ie iw movements and; ructural, efinement in u l.

supnlyisyste nsifo. automobiles rucks ndi iezthaus normahsupplyqil flue]; the latter has become" exhausted.

An important. feature. of the. invention resides lathe provision of means ior effecting the transpositibnof fuel from the auxil' r",ftank to the main tank, when ir ams ane Q'Rd i An additionalfeatureof the invention lies in the provision of means for. filling the auxiliary was. more S ec fically m ans, or. in th h' tan sfilled simulta us it ank.

, import advantaeeoi, thel ion ies n s sim l c y, o construct on an eration.

its'aqa t hfl r tor u ew t new ehi les ads ex s lwitlfi in? above. mor. mportant o e ts n features in view; and such other, objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially ofithei construction and arrangement of par ts'as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an elevational view of the invention, illustrating the same diagrammatically as being connected to the control panel of the vehicle with which it is used, and

Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of the electrical components of the invention.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the reference character In designates a main fuel tank of a vehicle such as an automobile, or the like, the same being provided with the usual filler neck II which, in turn, is equipped with a removable cap or cover M. In some instances, the cap I4 is disposed under a fender I6 s, theipwn ipal i qt i he i fiw providedyithanpnenable fluorite etha esqes [4 may behad 8 3.0.: somm n a inew thfi a k l. The? spec rely e; conneeiefdf beethe 1 m ns. (if

tarii. wh; eatin of; he. valve, afi rds .ce. ha t ie an; itis ed mu an u l valve 32 is open;

The vane-i; s Qtany nve tiqnal ons ruegn, such. a o examp e s i tratedin t e a com anyin Fi ure .,,wher.eirit1ie el c nd i s 1 8 .0, e a. valve hambe A whe e n. a i c 3.6- constltutes an Qpenable. losure o the; on: unit, the d sc ZQbeine Q uated' y me ns a reciproca le. a m tur 38. which; ur ser resizabl byme ns' ia soleno d",

A conventional levelindicating tank unit 42 is provided in the auxiliary fuel tank 20, the unit 41, being operatively connected as at 44 to an indicator gauge. limountedup'on an instrument panel; 4811f; the; vehicle with, which the invention is used. Needless to say, an additional levelin dicatormay begprgyided'in the tank Ill.

The solenoid 40 of the valve 32 is electrically connected at 50 to one terminal of a storage battery 52 with which the vehicle is, of course, provided, the remaining terminal of the batter being grounded, as at 54. The solenoid 40 is also in an electrical circuit indicated at 56 with one side, so to speak, 58 of a double pole switch 60, the side 58 of this switch being grounded as at 62 when the switch is closed.

The remaining side 63 of the switch 60 is electrically connected at 64 to the battery 52 and also, to an indicator lamp 66, the latter being grounded as at 68, matters being so arranged that when the switch 69 is closed, the valve 32 is open and the lamp E6 is energized, while on the other hand when the switch 60 is open, the valve 32 is closed and no current is delivered to the oi the vehicle, and the tender is, of necessity, a; l 55,

The. n. name es athe ntqv sien f, as

ins. dispqsii n the'f but: be z gi em what lowe in height so to speakfso that'thle upper wall he eo v dismi se ubs antia ly b b orr snenfiine usher W11 i of he n ll a m, fieetl el rreven a rl cks in e,

. r t e ank n! as on efli.

The switch 60 is normally open, but it may be closed by simply pulling a knob or button Ill provided on the aforementioned panel 48.

A normally closed micro-switch I2 is mounted under the aforementioned fender Hi, the switch 12 being grounded as at 14 and also being electrically connected as at 16 and 56 to the solenoid 40. The switch 12 includes a projectable and retractable plunger 18 which, when the switch is open, is retracted, as will be clearly understood.

The plunger 18 is normally retained in the retracted position by means of a finger 19 secured to the inner surface of the openable door Ia f the fender 16, so that as long as the door I8 is closed, the switch [2 is open and the valve 32 is also closed, as will be clearly apparent. However, upon opening of the door [8, the switch I2 becomes closed and the valve 32 is opened, in much the same manner as presents itself. upon closing of the switch 60.

As an alternative form of construction, primari- 1y intended for use in vehicles not equipped with the door l8, the switch 12 may be installed in a position on the filler neck 12 as indicated at 80, matters being so arranged that the switch 80 is open when the cap I4 is in position on the filler neck, but upon removing the cap, the switch 80 becomes closed,

Having thus described the construction of the invention, its method of operation will now be explained.

Assuming the tanks In and 20 tobe filled and the valve 32 closed, the vehicle may proceed on its travel until the supply of fuel in the tank 10 is exhausted. Thereupomby simply pulling the knob 10 outwardly so as to close the switch 60, the operator of the vehicle may readily open the valve 32, thus facilitating transposition of fuel from the tank 20 to the tank I0, whereb the vehicle may be driven until refueling, or until the suppl of fuel in the tank 20 is exhausted, Whichever occurs first.

Assuming then that the vehicle reaches a refueling source, the valve 32 may be intentionally or unintentionally closed (since it is not necessary to retain the switch 60 in a closed position While refueling), but assurance must be had that the auxiliary tank 20 is refilled simultaneously with the main tank 10, so that the contents of the auxiliary tank may be available for future occasions. This assurance is had by the provision of the switch 72 (or 80), which opens the valve 32 as soon 'as the door I8 or the cap I4 are opened, thus facilitating filling of the tank 20 as well as of the tank I I), through the medium of the ducts 28, 30.

The indicator lamp 66, being energized when the valve 32 is open by closing the switch 60, will, of course, indicate to the operator that he has a limited but a substantial supply of fuel to carry the vehicle torefueling station.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there hasbeenshown and described the preferred embodime'ntof this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In an automotive vehicle including a main fuel tank having a filler neck and a removable cap thereon, a reserve fuel supply comprising an auxiliary fuel tank positioned externally of the main tank, an air conduit connecting upper portions of said tanks so that air may pass from the reserve tank to the main tank during the filling operation, a fuel conduit connecting lower portions of said tanks, a normally closed electromagnetic valve provided in said fuel conduit-,-

an electric switch secured to said filler neck and provided with a depressible plunger, said plunger being engageable by said cap and retained thereb in its depressed position wherein said switch is open, and an electric connection between said switch and said valve, whereby the valve may be automatically opened by the removal of said cap DOUGLAS C. I REFERENCES CITED 1' The followinglreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS France Dec. 1a, 1942 

